Category: Women’s Health

Dehumidifier Size

If you are in the market for a dehumidifier you will want to make sure you get the correct dehumidifier size to effectively decrease the moisture in your home or work space.

Dehumidifiers decrease the moisture in your home that comes from the humidity outdoors when windows and doors are opened, cooking, showering or bathing, and using your clothes dryer. This moisture can get trapped in areas that have little or no ventilation, like your basement.

A dehumidifier works almost exactly like your air conditioning unit works. Warm, moist air is drawn into the unit and is passed over refrigerated coils. The warm moisture condenses on the cold coils much like when you leave a cold can of pop outside and soon see condensation on the outside of the can.

The condensation drips down and is collected in a tank or bucket. If it is collected in a tank, that tank is probably connected to a drain hose that can be drained into a floor drain of your basement. If it is collected in a bucket you will need to be the one to empty it. Usually once every twenty-four hours.

If you know the square footage of your basement then you will not have to measure. If you don’t know the square footage then you need to find your tape measure and measure length by width and then do the math. This is the exact square footage of your basement.

Determining the square footage of your basement will dictate the dehumidifier size you need to buy. It is also advisable that if you choose a dehumidifier with a range of square footage that you choose one at the upper end of the range. If you should buy one that is too small for the area then you will risk burning up the unit in short order because it will not be able to handle the area.

Once the dehumidifier gets the moisture level down to the setting you choose and program into it it should not run continuously, it should cycle on and off. The first couple of days though it may run continuously as it works to control the level of humidity. It also may run more when the humidity outside is higher because then more moisture is coming into the house.

When you bring your dehumidifier home, read the instruction manual carefully and place it in the middle of the area that needs it. Be sure to check on the level in the bucket every few hours so it does not ever flow. Some units will automatically shut off when the bucket is full so you may not have to worry about overflow like on older units.

Depending on how much moisture the area has will also determine the dehumidifier size. A moderately moist environment about 1500 square feet will require around a 30 pint per hour removal rate. An area that is wetter than that may need a larger unit that will take 70 pints, or more, of moisture out of the air.

A good rule of thumb is that if you need to remove moisture from the air of three or more rooms it would be a better idea to invest in a whole house dehumidifier.

Crawl Space Dehumidifier-Aid In Mold Prevention

Crawl spaces can be creepy places anyway and when they are wet and musty they can be even more creepy, not to mention nasty. That musty smell is probably due to mold and mildew that has grown in it’s favorite environment, a wet one. If your crawl space is like this then you probably should consider getting a crawl space dehumidifier.

Crawl spaces are dark, cramped and hard to work in but if you are going to fix the problem you are going to have to get in there and get busy.

First, assess the situation, get enough light in there to see well and look around to see if there is any standing water anywhere. If there is then mop it up with a rag or towel. If it returns then try to figure out why. Check pipes for leaks and fix them yourself or hire someone to come in to fix them before you go any further. If the pipes are free of leaks then check for a way for rain or snow to get in from outside.

The puddles may only be due to condensation or even the ground water. In these cases the dehumidifier will only do so much. You will probably have to encapsulate your crawl space to get it to stay dry.

Before you get to work on the encapsulation, run the crawl space dehumidifier for a few days to make your working conditions a little better. Do not forget to empty the collection container or you will just have to start all over again.

Next, you need to make the floor of the crawl space as even as possible to help the puddles stay gone. You could even bring in some sand or use a few bags of cat litter to help absorb moisture on the dirt floor of your crawl space.

Now you need to get the liner in there and fasten it to the walls with an industrial adhesive. The liner you use should be antimicrobial and have zero permeability. If this is confusing for you ask an expert. The liner should be installed no less than 18 inches up the walls of the crawl space.

Make sure to overlap the liner on the walls and when you roll it out on the floor. Secure the seams with duct tape to prevent gaps. This is obviously not a one day job but when it is all done you will have a nice, dry, better smelling crawl space and will have effectively saved yourself a lot of repairs as mold and mildew will destroy wood and other materials used to build your house.

When the crawl space is dry and encapsulated, you should still run the dehumidifier as needed to keep it from getting musty again. Remember, if the crawl space is cool, and it probably is, make sure the crawl space dehumidifier is one that will operate efficiently at low temperatures so it does not freeze up. If it freezes up it will not work as efficiently as it should and coould even shut down completely.

Choosing A Dehumidifier-Different Brands And Models

Choosing a dehumidifier can be an interesting process. There are so many different brands and models to choose from it is possible you may get more than just a little overwhelmed or frustrated especially if you are looking to buy your dehumidifier online.

Purchasing a dehumidifier can be a nice addition to your home. Using a dehumidifier correctly can increase the comfort level in your home and decrease the growth of mold and mildew. People who suffer from allergies or frequent upper respiratory illnesses may notice quite a difference in frequency of symptoms with continued use of a dehumidifier.

Decreasing the amoount of humidity in your home can also save on repair and replacement costs of the wood and drywall used in the area that has the most moisture which is usually the basement.

Choosing a dehumidifier requires research of different brands and models to make sure you are getting exactly what you need. Start your research by reading a consumer magazine to compare various models within your price range. Further your research by checking out reviews and comparisons online.

You could also go to a retail store and look at some up close to find a model that you like and then make your purchase online. There are sites that offer significant discounts on quite a few brands and models of dehumidifiers. If the one you choose is among the list of discounted dehumidifiers then you could save up to 34% on your purchase.

Some criteria you will need to follow before you even start looking is the total square footage of the space with the excess moisture. Measure the length of the room and multiply that number by the width of the room. This will give you the square footage of the room the dehumidifier will work in.

This is how dehumidifiers are sold. There should be a range of square footage that the unit can handle and you should make your pruchase based on the upper end of that range. You need one big enough to handle that square footage or else you run the risk of having the unit freeze up or over work itself and stop working all together.

Obviously, your budget has to be considered also. If you find a dehumidifier that you like but then look at the price tag and realize it is just a little too steep for you, you have two options. Either buy a smaller unit and run those risks I discussed earlier or save for another month or so until you can afford the one you need.

If you would like a dehumidifier that you do not have to empty every day then look into buying one that drains into a floor drain. Some do and some don’t, some require you to empty the bucket underneath every single day. Hopefully you have a utility sink in the basement so you do not have to go far and risk spilling the water.

Other research you need to do is to the unit’s efficiency. Check to see if the unit you have selected is Energy Star rated. With this rating you can tell if it will be energy efficient and will cost a lot less to operate.

Check, also, when choosing a dehumidifier, how much moisture it will remove from the air of your house in a 24 hour period. Experiment for the first few days to get a good feel of the unit and how it is working for you. Adjust the settings as needed to maintain around a 50% level of humidity in your home.

The unit may remove more moisture right at the beginning of usage and then taper off when it gets the house or area under control. If the unit is one that has to be emptied daily then, for the first few days check it several times a day and empty as needed until the unit does get the room under control.

Boat Dehumidifiers

If you have a boat and do not do anything to maintain the moisture level on that boat, especially when storing it, you may ruin the risk of mold and mildew growing on upholstered surfaces and corroding all of the electronic components needed to run the boat. Boat dehumidifiers will help control the moisture introduced by the environment.

Boat dehumidifiers can be used either during or after storage to remove moisture inside the boat cabin. Other moisture control products or devices can help remove moisture as well. Silica based products come in all shapes and sizes of boxes or bags that can be strategically placed or hung throughout the cabin to absorb moisture.

Anything that will draw the moisture out of the air will help deter mold and mildew from forming over the winter season when the boat is not being used. Keeping moisture from getting into sensitive electronic compartments will keep your boat from needing costly repairs and replacement of expensive components.

Mildew and mold thrive in moist and humid environments. If you do not control the amount of moisture in the air inside the cabin during storage then you may end up with mold and mildew growing on every surface in the cabin and even embedded in the upholstery.

Hard surfaces can be cleaned effectively with a bleach water solution but the upholstery may never be the same. It will probably need to be replaced if this happens. It may be a good idea to clean every surface thoroughly with a bleach water solution before closing the boat up and sending it to storage along with the moisture control items or dehumidifiers.

This could just maybe save your bacon when it comes time to open the boat back up for the season. Hopefully there will be no musty, mildewy smell inside the cabin at all when boating season comes around again.

A possible cheaper method for moisture control is using cat pan litter. You could get double the benefit with the cat litter, moisture control and odor control. I have never tried this but seems to me those are the things that cat litter is made for so it would be worth a shot to find out.

Experiment before you try it for a full storage season and if it works then go for it. Cat litter is probably a lot less expensive than those other products. Pick one with a nice fresh scent or find an organic blend that has no perfumy smell.

Once you take the boat out of storage and get her back in the water you should open her up and let her air out some with a slow ride around the bay to get all the stagnant air replaced with fresh. A marine fan is another great idea to use when the boat is docked at the marina.

Boat dehumidifiers are the best way to decrease that amount of moisture inside the cabin or inside storage areas of the boat. Never put life jackets or other equipment away when it is wet. Always let it thoroughly air dry before stowing it away.